Friday, June 18, 2010

Research on Wild Potato Germplasm Points to the Urgent Need to Conserve Biodiversity

Research led by Dr Dennis Halterman and Dr Shelley from the ARS Vegetable Crops Research Unit in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, has demonstrated that the wild potato germplasm offers resistance to some major potato diseases.

The researchers have identified a wild potato species called Solanum verrucosum that contains a gene with resistance to late blight. Late blight is considered to be the most destructive disease afflicting potato. The scientists plan to move the late-blight resistance gene into the cultivated potato. Efforts are also on to tackle early blight, a fungal disease that affects the potato.

Next on the agenda is tackling Verticillium wilt, a fungal disease that can linger in the soil for up to 10 years. The scientists have developed a molecular marker to screen potato germplasm for resistance against this disease which makes the work of researchers easier. More work is on the anvil which will revolutionize potato cultivation.

The research points to the need for conserving the wild relatives of our cultivated food plants. Our future food security depends on it. This should also act as an eye opener for our politicians whose “development” agenda spells doom for biodiversity in many areas.